Meet the Myntra girls everyone’s talking about

Their latest ad campaign, featuring a lesbian couple, has gone viral

Released earlier this week, and playing well into the context of Section 377, Myntra’s latest ad campaign for their in-house brand, Anouk, is a conversation-starter, to say the least. Generating (mostly positive) reactions on several social media platforms, the new ad, features a lesbian couple—played by Anupriya Goenka and Neha Panda—where the latter readies to meet her partners’ parents for the first time.

Vogue meets the two girls who star in what is ‘not just an ad about kurtas’.

Anupriya Goenka, 28

Who: Originally from Kanpur, Goenka moved to Mumbai to work as an actress. A commerce graduate, she has previously starred in two Telegu movies: Potugadu and Paathshala.

What she has to say about the ad: “I had gone to audition for another ad when the casting director asked me to audition for this instead; it was really just a matter of coincidence.” Although the initially discussed kissing scene was later dropped by the director, Goenka says that nevertheless the boys in the studio were rather zapped to see their chemistry.

What she has to say about the LGBT issue: “I’ve always been a supporter. The response and love that audiences have shown goes to say just how much today’s youth is pro-homosexuality. It’s high time the government does something about Section 377.”

Neha Panda, 26

Who: Originally from Kota, Rajasthan Panda currently resides in Kolkata. Having studied at NIFT, she’s a fashion stylist by profession.

What she has to say about the ad: “Somehow I always end up getting offers to shoot for a lesbian role. I think it’s my short hair,” laments Panda, who finally decided to take one up. Her clear-sighted director and comfortable co-star made the experience easy for her.

What she has to say about the LGBT issue: “My phone is crashing every few hours due to the positive response I am getting from people!”

When did she know she was doing the ‘right thing’? She remembers a moment on-set, when her make-up artist, who’s gay, was particularly pleased when he heard about the concept of the ad.